Quote:
Originally Posted by dcm91
yeah i don't know why i put "i think" in there. a lot of reviews openly stated their disappointment in that fact. which really just makes me think they may not have liked the xx as much as they originally thought, or they just viewed them as some platonic ideal instead of a band that, yknow, is putting out record #2. there is definitely some fear/worry there that has to do with how much mileage can they get out of writing sparse minimalist love songs? but i mean until they put out some Real F***ing Garbage or call it quits i don't really feel the need to worry about it.
I can't really respond point by point, but I'll try to expand on my thoughts.
I don't think xx is front-loaded. I loved it and listened to the **** out of it in 2009 and 2010 and never felt the need to skip tracks.
What strikes me about that album, actually, is that start to finish the tunes are really catchy. Despite unfolding at glacial pace, the recurring theme is good, crisp melodies. No single track off the new album has grabbed me the way Intro, Crystalised, Heart Skipped a Beat, Basic Space, Night Time or others. I think I've listened to Coexist 5 or 6 times, and apart from Angels (which had me excited for the album when it was released) no one song has stood out to me. Reunion I quite like, but I don't even know another track by name.
Lyrically the debut struck me as well. I'm actually quite numb to lyrics a lot of the time, but certain songs jumped out at me from the first album. In a good way. Heart Skipped a Beat in particular I thought was really touching. VCR was a bit sweet for my taste, but it came from a nice, adolescent place. There was character to those songs.
Whenever I notice the lyrics on Coexist, it's always moaning about failed relationships. I can't easily single anything out atm because I don't have the album at hand, but where I felt like there was personality shining through on the lyrics on the self-titled album, I don't get that at all from Coexist.
And finally, you're right, it was disappointing to hear something so similar in tone to the first album. Partly because they built an expectation that they were going to break new ground. But mainly because I don't feel that they improved on the formula.
That's alright though, my taste is way out of step with most people in this thread, and I'm happy to see a band that put out one of my favourite albums in recent years get recognised. They're in their early-20s after all, I hope they release many albums over the coming years.